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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27458533">Pieces and Players</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/bubbleball1/pseuds/bubbleball1'>bubbleball1</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Queen's Gambit (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Character Study, F/M, One Shot</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 17:20:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>631</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27458533</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/bubbleball1/pseuds/bubbleball1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Alma was her Pawn. Harry, her Castle. Benny, her knight. Shaibel, her Bishop. Borgov, her King. Character study of the players in Beth Harmon's Game.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Beth Harmon/Benny Watts, Harry Beltik/Beth Harmon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>119</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Pieces and Players</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Pawn<br/>
Her mother was her pawn. Easy to control and manipulate to her own purposes. She grew to love her in the end. Of course she did. But her mother’s alcoholism and need to maintain her image and lifestyle led her to enable Beth to lead her lifestyle. Most parents might indulge a hobby but they most likely wouldn’t allow their teenage daughters to travel across the country for profit.</p>
<p>Castle<br/>
Beltik was her castle. Safe but immoveable. Her protector but not strong enough to really protect her from her real enemy. Herself. He taught her everything he knew which wasn’t much. He allowed her to use him like one of her chess pieces. When he realised that he couldn’t change her he left.</p>
<p>Knight<br/>
Benny was her knight. He took her by surprise. Coming out of the blue. Moving in ways she could not predict. He got her clean and sober just by piquing her interest and keeping it. She had no use for drugs or alcohol when his challenging of her mind was enough to silence her cravings. That line “About sex? Forget it.” gave away so much about how much he understood her. He knew how she manipulated Beltik. He knew that to put off the table would grab her attention. He saw the world in the same way she did. She wondered if he’d ever used someone in the same way. She wondered if he had had vices like hers. He had recognised them in her almost instantly. The best time of her life was that car ride to New York. Playing chess in their minds, practising Russian together, just having fun. She could be silent with him without being awkward.</p>
<p>Bishop<br/>
Shaibel, her bishop, her teacher, her father. It wasn’t until he died and Jolene spoke to her about family that she realised how much he meant to her. Finding the board of her articles that he had kept was cathartic. Realising he cared for her as much as she cared for him. She wished he had been her real father, that she could’ve really been his daughter, that he could’ve been there for her at the tournaments and championships. She wonders if he knew about the tranquilisers. What he would say about them?</p>
<p>King<br/>
Borgov was her King. She wasn’t attracted to him like Baltik, Townes or Benny. She was drawn to him. He was the ultimate challenge. The ultimate prize. To know she could beat the best in the world. She was almost sad when she beat him. It was the end of their years-long dance. He had moved her, made her feel in a way no one other than Shaibel had ever made her feel despite never speaking to her prior to her win.</p>
<p>Queen<br/>
She had won. Queen of her domain.She found herself thinking back to playing Georgi. What was next? There was no more challenge to run towards. Maybe the reporter was right. Maybe she should try Bridge or some other game. Chess was where her heart lay but there was nothing to aim for now. She thought about going back to Kentucky. There was nothing there for her. She didn't want to live a life like the girl she met from school or her own mother. An alcoholic mother with a baby frantically trying to look sober and put together for a husband who didn't love her, who fooled around with other women to forget that he was trapped in a marriage he didn't want. Divorce was still frowned upon. </p>
<p>She could rent out the house. Find Benny in New York. Apologise for everything she put him through. Stay clean and sober. Play chess until Georgi grew up and took over as world champion. Retire gracefully.</p>
<p>Pawn to E4.</p>
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